Wisconsin Class of 2026 Rankings: Update
May 3, 2024
After a busy winter circuit and a productive start to the spring we’re unveiling Wisconsin’s Class of 2026 updated rankings today. Since our last update at the end of 2023, there's been some movement at the top, as well as some adjustments elsewhere further down the board. We've also added 35 players to the board, creating a top-100 overall as we coast into the back half of the spring campaign.
In this piece, we’ll outline the players at the top of the class and we’ll highlight some of the prospects who are making jumps up inside of the top-20 too. Next week, we’ll break down the 'arrow-up' prospects in the state, as well as the new names debuting on this list.
For now, here are the highlights from the top of this class in our first update of the year, making it a major one.
⭐ AT THE TOP
The margins among this top-three is razor thin. Wisconsin's sophomore class is a very exciting group, and each of these three prospects have already earned national attention. Frankly, each has a substantial case to earn the status of the No. 1-ranked player in the state. Dominic Santarelli (Louisville commit) is one of the most productive left-handed hitters in the Midwest, and so far this spring he's hitting .526 with a 1.799 OPS, he's collected 16 extra-base hits (2 HR) in 38 at-bats with 10 walks against just five Ks. Ben Kuglitsch (Florida State) is fresh off a start against ranked Waukesha North in which he was regularly into the low-90s, and he punched out 10 across four dominant innings – and he still has upside as a prospect positionally, given his athleticism. And Cal Moreau should be considered one of the top uncommitted '26s in the region. He's another premium athlete, maybe even the best in this whole class, with two-way traits that looked especially polished on the mound recently, where he was up to 90 mph on a frigid night with a wipeout slider.
You can't go wrong with any of these three.
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Dominic Santarelli 1B / St. Joseph, WI / 2026From the South MKE Preseason ID: “... showed up boasting a more filled out and stronger 6-foot, 209-pound frame. Working from a balanced setup, Santarelli swings a fluid and loose left-handed bat that is short to the ball with a slightly uphill path. Despite his low-effort swing, he still produced the day's top batted ball metrics as he averaged an exit velocity of 95.4 mph with his hardest ball coming off at 100.4 mph. He is also a quality defender at first base that showcased the ability to smother throws in the dirt while working with quality actions around the bag. It was yet another ultra-impressive look at Santarelli who continued to assert the notion of being one of the state’s top prospects, regardless of class.” (3/3/24) |
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Ben Kuglitsch SS / RHP / Muskego, WI / 2026From April 29 vs. Waukesha North: “... Kuglitsch features simple mechanics and pairs it with a quick, loose arm that produced fastball velocities up to 91 mph in his four inning start, while sitting in the 88-90 mph range throughout. He went to a sharp, low-70s 11/5 curveball with late depth early on into the game while he found the zone with his fastball and it continued to get sharper as the game went on. He finished his illustrious outing with 10 strikeouts and allowed just three walks across four frames while looking the part of a high-end two-way talent inside of the Badger State.” (4/29/24) |
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Calvin Moreau SS / RHP / Monona Grove, WI / 2026From April 20 vs. Kettle Moraine: “... is a simple and athletic mover, pairing it with a short, compact, quick arm that produced fastballs up to 90 mph on a cold and windy night at The Rock, while showing the ability to maintain that velocity late in his start. Off that he spun in an aggressive curveball with late bite in the mid-to-high-70s that routinely earned awkward whiffs to both right and left-handed hitters, while also being able to flip it in for called strikes early into the count. With the bat, it is an ultra-simple swing from the right side, not wasting much movement at all and he flashed some power when he ripped a deep double to the opposite field on Friday night. Our staff has heard some rumblings of Moreau taking his game to the next level, and those proved to be true as he asserted himself as one of the state’s top prospects regardless of class - if he wasn’t already one before.” (4/20/24) |
📈 ON THE RISE
Each of the following players within this article are uncommitted unless stated otherwise, including Semmelmann, who is arguably the most significant 'Riser' among the sophomores on this list.
+ LHP Colton Semmelmann (Brookfield Central) rocketed up these rankings following one of the most impressive 'pens of the winter, reinforced by a spring outing in front of our staff in which he looked very much like the same pitcher we saw in February. Here's our write-up from that early April outing:
From April 5: “... the 6-foot-1, 176-pound left-hander is one of the top pitchers in the state’s class of 2026. An athletic mover on the mound that has shown the ability to repeat his delivery across an extended outing which has helped his ability to command his pitches. His fastball got up to 87 mph early in his outing and sat 84-86 throughout. Semmelmann was able to locate his fastball to both his arm-side and glove-side in this look and earned swings-and-misses in the zone. Semmelmann was confident in his low-70s curveball that is another swing-and-miss offering for him and showed feel to throw to both sides of the plate against both handed batters. Rounding off his pitch mix Semmelmann showed a low-80s changeup that he threw to both handed batters, flashing like a potential weapon against any hitter once he gains more feel of the pitch. A rising arm in the class of ‘26 Semmelmann will be one to follow across his prep career as he matures both physically and on the mound.”
(4/5/24)
+ SS/3B Winston Alonso (Reedsburg Area) has a sky-high ceiling as a left-handed-hitting infielder who's looking more and more fit for an up-the-middle spot on the diamond. He's gained some physicality and size over the most recent offseason, mainintaing his smooth swing from the left side that demonstrates excellent barrel feel that's also gaining some impact. Here's his report from March:
From the Madison Preseason ID: “... stayed short and direct to the ball from the left-side to shoot line drives from gap-to-gap. His hardest hit ball of his round registered a 92 mph, while he averaged 81.5 mph throughout and his furthest batted ball traveled 336 ft., which speaks to the power potential he possesses. On the infield, he featured steady, sure-handed actions and paired it with a quick arm that was up to 82 mph across. He has proved that these abilities transfer in-game, too, and he furthered the notion of being one of the state’s top sophomores following his performance on Sunday.”
(3/13/24)
+ RHP Tyson Grulkowski (Muskego) is a pick-to-click type of prospect with a smooth delivery from a 6-foot-5 stature that allows him to deliver power sinkers with a complementary sweeping slider that plays off the same plane. Here's his report from his performance in February:
From the West MKE Preseason ID: “... is a 6-foot-5 two-way player with upside on both sides of the ball. On the mound, despite his lanky levers, he is an ultra-clean mover, pairing it with a loose and quick arm. His fastball was up to 86.4 mph with carry and run, showing natural feel to go in and out with it. His hard slider had sharp 11/5 tilt with tight break through the zone, at 77-78 mph and also nearly 2,700 RPMs on average. He rounded out his repertoire with a deceptive changeup in the low-80s that featured big running action, roughly 18” on average, and depth. Offensively, Grulkowski put on a show during his BP round, as he led all in attendance with a 100.8 mph max exit velocity, while also averaging 95.1 mph. Grulkowski showed quick movements with the bat with strong hands and an uphill, pull-heavy approach. It’s a whippy barrel through the zone with a narrow set-up and quiet, early toe-tap. Defensively he showed a quick first step with athletic arm action. His 87 mph throw across the diamond was among Saturday’s leaders, too.”
(2/17/24)
+ RHP/UTL Matthew Hietpas (Appleton North) took the next step in his development over the most recent offseason, especially from the mound. He repeats well inside an athletic delivery that allows him to backspin a four-seamer with carry through the zone that reached a 90-plus mph high in his 'pen in February. He's been a very effective arm for his high school this spring too, proving that his uptick in stuff is hardly a fluke. The report from Hietpas' bullpen that day:
From the Green Bay Preseason ID: “... is an athletically built 5-foot-10, 173 pounded two-way prospect who continued to impress our staff during Saturday’s event. Starting on the mound, Hietpas utilized a clean and simple delivery, paired with a loose arm to deliver fastballs upwards of 90.4 mph that played with over 16” of carry through the zone, too. Hietpas also showed impressive feel for a curveball with sharp 10/4 tilt that already has the makings of a quality out-pitch. His changeup was delivered out of the same window as his fastball and played with fade/depth to his arm side while sitting in the low-80s. Offensively, Hietpas took a clean and impressive round of BP. From a well sequenced and compact swing, Hietpas consistently hit line drives to all parts of the field, with his hardest one registering in at 92.5 mph and he averaged 85 mph, too. Defensively, his athleticism is really one display, as he is a quick lateral mover on both the infield and outfield, pairing it with plenty of arm strength for both. Hietpas has continued to make big strides to his game over the past couple of years and is certainly a highly talented name-to-know inside of the state’s sophomore class.”
(2/24/24)
ROUNDING OUT THE TOP-10
+ RHP/3B Caleb Johns (New Berlin Eisenhower), report from April 6: “Sturdy 6-foot-1, 180 pounds with a strong lower half. Impressed with the bat on Saturday. From the left side, Johns sets up with rhythm before utilizing a simple leg lift to deliver that barrel with quick hands. He showed some pop to the opposite field, as he smacked a deep double to the wall that brought home two runs in New Berlin Eisenhower’s win. Throughout their two games of the day, he showed a quality approach as he worked deep into the count in a majority of his at-bats. Despite being an underclassmen, he was one of the vocal leaders on this team, and he exudes confidence while on the diamond, something that is certainly noteworthy.”
(4/6/24)
+ RHP/1B Brett Biondich (Kettle Moraine Lutheran; TCU commit) is another high-end two-way talent inside of the state’s current sophomore class. Built at a strong 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Biondich has produced a plethora of loud contact in front of our staff before from a quick and aggressive right-handed swing. On the mound, he is a simple and loose mover that was up in the mid-80s last year with some pretty intriguing spin metrics. His ability to spin doesn’t stop there as he can flip in a sharp curveball at a well-above average rate and rounds out his three-pitch mix with a deceptive changeup, too. Biondich has been off to a strong start this season for Kettle Moraine Lutheran and reportedly has made some big strides on both sides of the ball, priming him for a standout sophomore campaign.
+ MIF Jake Cummins (Milton) is an athletic middle infield prospect built at a lean 5-foot-9, 170-pounds. At the plate, Cummings has shown feel for the barrel and overall bat-to-ball skills in game. It’s a flat path that gets long through the strike zone and has shown the ability to spray line drives to all fields. In the dirt, Cummings has smooth and athletic actions on the left side of the diamond to pair with an arm that plays from multiple slots and while on the move. Cummings will continue to be an athletic up-the-middle defender as he matures and has a chance to stick at shortstop moving forward. Cummins started the spring on the shelf due to injury and should return back to full health towards the end of the high school season.
+ OF Matthew O’Grady Jr. (Badger), report from the West MKE Preseason ID: "The standout two-sport athlete put his baseball talents on display on Saturday, and the effort was notable. The sophomore stands at an athletic and well-proportioned 5-foot-11, 178 pounds and started his day with a 7.13 60 yard dash showing an extremely athletic gait with burst. He then showed off that burst with a 31 inch vertical jump which was amongst the day’s best. O’Grady’s hitting talents continue to impress our staff. O’Grady has a simple approach with an easy rhythm and despite his no-stride and balanced approach, his 96.0 mph max exit velocity and his 89.9 mph average exit velocity were some of the event’s best. In the outfield, O’Grady fields through the ball aggressively and showed off impressive arm strength at 88 mph.”
(2/17/24)
UPDATES TO THE TOP-20
+ OF Ezra Liggon (Madison Memorial), report from April 19: “... The athletic left/left outfielder stands at a lean 6-foot-4, 190-pounds and offers some of the state’s highest upside. With the bat, Liggon took controlled hacks to ball all night long for Madison Memorial from a simple left-handed swing. He came up big for the Spartans late in their game on Friday night, as he shot a two-strike single to the opposite field to bring in a pair to put the game out of reach for the opposition. His premium athleticism is very apparent in the outfield, as he covers ground effortlessly and he pairs it with a strong arm that topped at 87 mph at this winter’s Milwaukee Preseason ID.”
(4/19/24)
+ 3B/SS Caleb Liggon (Madison Memorial), report from the Milwaukee Preseason ID: "... was measured at a long, athletic and projectable 6-foot-4, 178 pounds. Liggon showed off his athleticism on Saturday with an impressive vertical jump of 30.3 inches which was one of the top jumps of the day. With the bat he hits with a wide base and a quiet load, staying balanced throughout the swing allowing him to consistently barrel up baseball with control of the barrel. There is a free and easy feel to the swing while watching the ball jump off the bat, registering 91.7 mph max exit velocity. On defense, the third baseman has a quick first step and controls his body well working through the ball with quality actions. It was another quality look at the sophomore with a ton of upside."
(3/16/24)
+ INF/RHP Chance Ruby (Wilmot Union), report from the Milwaukee Preseason ID: “... kicked off his day by running a 6.77 in the 60-yard dash while also reaching a max jump height of 34.9 inches, both of which are top-notch metrics and not just for someone his age. Then during his round of BP, Ruby showcased an explosive right-handed swing, taking short and compact swings to the ball. Metrically his round was one of the best of the event, too, as he averaged an exit speed of 87.4 mph and his hardest-hit ball came off 94.4 mph, while also hitting a max carry distance of 347 feet. On the infield, he is an athletic and sure-handed defender with plenty of arm to stick on the left-side as he topped at 92 mph on his hardest bullet across. His arm strength was equally as apparent on the mound, as he ran his fastball up to 88.5 from an athletic delivery. He went to a pair of breaking balls during his ‘pen, too. The first being a traditional 11/5 curveball with roughly 15 inches of horizontal break and it showed true swing-and-miss potential. The second breaking ball was a tight slider in the mid-70s, with late and sharp lateral break at the plate. Rounding out his advanced four-pitch mix is a mid-70s changeup that featured late fade and depth while being thrown at arm speed. After popping during last year’s summer circuit, Ruby has continued to see his stock rise as one of the more intriguing two-ways in the state’s sophomore class.”
(3/16/24)
+ RHP Ryan Rasmussen (Cedarburg), report from the Milwaukee Preseason ID: “... is an upside right-hander who authored one of the louder ‘pens from the past weekend. Standing at an imposing and still projectable 6-foot-3, 202-pound frame with substantial arm talent. Rasmussen ran his fastball up to 89.6 mph while mostly sitting in the upper-80s throughout his ‘pen with two offspeed pitches that both offer swing-and-miss upside. First, a sharp slider that he threw in the mid-70s that averaged -15.7 inches of sweep that he was able to locate in and around the zone. Second, a heavy fading changeup that sat in the low-80s that fell off with 17.7 inches of run. Rasmussen broke out as one of the ascending arms in the state and will be one to monitor going forward.”
(3/16/24)
+ OF Luke Schaning (Nathan Hale), report from the Milwaukee Preseason ID: “... turned in a notable performance with the glove and the bat on Saturday. Right-handed hitting Schaning showcased his feel for the barrel with a balanced swing as he was driving baseballs through the big part of the field consistently during his round. Metrically his round was impressive too, as his hardest hit ball came off at 93.3 mph, while averaging 88.9 mph average and his furthest batted ball traveled 355 feet. From the outfield, Schaning reached an 87 mph high and proved to have more than enough arm to man centerfield and right field. Schaning’s talents and skills were on display and proves why he is one of the top talents in the class of 2026.”
(3/16/24)
+ OF/RHP Carson Hawley (Bay Port), report from the Green Bay Preseason ID: "... is an athletic two-way player with strong tools across the board. Hawley sets up with a wide base and high hands, landing centered on-time with good separation. His quick hands and direct path create good leverage and bat speed out front, resulting in plus power. Defensively, Hawley showed athletic actions and reached 90 mph from the outfield, the third-best mark of the day. His 7.14 60-yard time was among the top 10 performers on Saturday. On the mound, the sophomore has a rhythmic delivery with a medium-high leg tuck, landing slightly crossfire in a repeatable and athletic manner. His arm was on-time and quick, a high-¾ slot that led to good velocity - Hawley topped at 86.4 mph with carry. The curveball has 11/5 break with tremendous late depth, a pitch thrown with firmness at 76-77 mph. The changeup has some depth and fade at 79-80 mph, a pitch thrown with fastball arm speed and good feel."
(2/24/24)